Condensation in flat - rights as a tennant

SavvyStudentSaver

Considering that the e-mail says "following my telephone conversation with Geoff on 7Th February", I would be asking for a written report from the guy, because she could be misreporting his findings. If she has no proof that these were his findings, and you claim to have been told otherwise, I wouldn't necessarily believe the LL. And possibly hire someone else myself, and get a written report from them.

Helsieboo

Sorry, Geoff is my housemate. Just realised the dampman left his business card here - it wouldn't be unreasonable to ask him for a copy, would it?

BitterAndTwisted

Do not get involved with anything to do with this "damp man"! I would advise you in the strongest possible terms to not acknowledge anything the landlady has said in your response. Getting into any kind of discussion just opens up the possibility of you acknowledging that the cause of the condensation is your lifestyles. Once that happens all of the cost for putting things right could inevitably fall on your shoulders.

Once someone has latched onto an idea, they can be very difficult to persuade to the contrary.

Ask her to share the cost of a dehumidifier and nothing else!

Helsieboo

Thanks all for continued help. Another update - she emailed us the full report which we have read and they recommend the vents are installed (well, they would, wouldn't they?)

In the meanwhile, we've been given an industrial dehumidifier by a friend who had similar issues and we've had that running - it is awesome! We were going to get back to her and say we've got one, but just had this message from her:

Hi Helen & Geoff,

We are awaiting a response from you both

Re: Condensation elevation @ XXXX. We are becoming increasing concern,when the work is going to carried out. We need you both to inform us of when this going to be done, we need a response from you both by the end of the day.

Regards

I'm not sure how to respond to this. There is a letting agency who we used to find the flat. Although we've always dealt with the landlady directly and paid her directly, is there any mileage in informing them, or ask her if she's asked them about it? I don't really know how to respond. I dare say I'd be thinking straighter if I wasn't so stressed about everything else.

gazebo

hang on, she's now asking you when the work will be done?

Surely the answer to that is, once she has authorised and presumably found the funds to pay for the work?

It is her property after all?

dotchas

Oh what a horrid landlady with absolutely no idea of her responsibilities.

Short term ,write to her and say you have borrowed a dehimidifier temporarily and this is solving the problem. Ask her either to supply one or go halves with you. Keep an eye on freecycle and gumtree for one going cheap, maybe try posting a wanted ad. Remember if it belongs to you ,you can sell it on when you move on so that may be a better option.

Long term, get looking for a new place ASAP as you really don't want to stay with a LL like that. You sound like you have a lot on your plate and you don't need this stress. The problems with this LL are not going to go away. Once you have decided to move ,you will feel more in control again.

Hope this helps
x

tbs624

Helsieboo - stop stressing. If the LL wants venting systems installed then s/he has to foot the bill. As others have said, your main problem will be that she can use your deposit to redecorate etc if she can adequately show that any marking of walls/ceilings etc is down to your actions /omissions.

You could get in touch with the local Council's private sector rentals Tenancy Relations Officer and/or Env Health Officer today.

They can give you guidance and, if necessary, they can liaise with the LL.

Or you could simply write thanking her for her letter (ignore the vent installation blurb) telling her that you have the use of a dehumidifier which has improved matters and that you will be washing down the walls and ceilings with a proprietary cleaner. State that you will let her know if the problem recurs. The main thing though is that you *have* to ensure that you do everything you can to minimise the effects of all sources of condensation - a dehumidifier merely deals with the "symptoms" See http://www.homesforharingey.org/damp_leaflet.pdf

Unfortunately, if a LL thinks that a T is damaging their property matters are likely to end with a notice of intent to repossess. That does not mean that you should cave in to demands to cough up £xxx for her preferred method of dealing with things. Many "damp men" offer free surveys precisely so that they can flog their overpriced "solutions" to the damp/condensation problem.

tbs624

dotchas wrote: »

Oh what a horrid landlady with absolutely no idea of her responsibilities.

Short term ,write to her and say you have borrowed a dehimidifier temporarily and this is solving the problem. Ask her either to supply one or go halves with you.

An experienced LL would probably have offered the use of one early on so as to attempt to protect the property.

However, damp and condensation issues really need to be dealt with at source. If it *is* the Ts actions/omissions that are causing the damp/condensation then stating in a letter that the T expects the LL to cough up for a dehumidifier may well inflame the situation between LL & T. If LL supplies one s/he then becomes liable for annual PATs on it.

OP - you really want a domestic dehumidifier rather than an industrial one which is obviously designed for larger spaces.

tbs624

Helsieboo - you may want to edit your last post in which you give the property's partial address

Helsieboo

Thanks for your help all, I've also sent the link to this to my housemate - he's in it with me, but he doesn't have a clue what to do either!

The one thing that I am frustrated about though is the fact that I DID keep trickle vents open, use extractor fan in bathroom, left doors open, and only kept my window closed for a couple of weeks - like I said, the mould set in before I closed it. So I don't think that I have been particularly irresponsible, yet I don't see how I can prove this.